Garbage Are So Much More Than Paranoid At Brixton Academy

by | Sep 15, 2018

 

Garbage (Belle Piec)

It seems risky to open a show with not just a 20-year-old B-side, but a slow, brooding 20-year-old B-side. It seems even riskier to follow it with another. But Garbage know exactly what they’re doing. Their bold opening gambit isn’t just a reminder of the band’s typically wilful approach, it’s a clear indication of their confidence in Version 2.0, the album they’re celebrating on their 20 Years Paranoid tour.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

Three years ago they did something similar, revisiting their self-titled debut LP in full. The 20 Years Queer show was big on nostalgia, beginning with a 10-minute video of the band on their first tour interspersed with pop culture highlights from 1995. But, when played alongside stellar moments like I’m Only Happy When It Rains and Stupid Girl, some album tracks and rarities sounded dated, even tentative.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

This time, there’s none of that. There’s no mention of 1998 or two decades, or anniversaries. There’s no backdrop of the iconic orange cover art, just a white backdrop to complement the minimalist, almost futuristic, staging. And even obscurities like the glittering Soldier Through This (which, Shirley Manson confesses, was written under duress in a few minutes) sound absolutely majestic and startlingly contemporary.   

Garbage (Belle Piec)

That’s no accident. Drummer Butch Vig and multi-instrumentalists Duke Erikson and Steve Marker approach the live setting with such recording-studio-precision that Brixton Academy has never sounded better. 

All four band members (and low-profile touring bass player Eric Avery) play with a refreshing vitality. While Marker is all about guitar hero poses and a flailing right arm as he lays down one power chord after another, Erikson plays it cool, sneaking in surprises like a subtle new melody line on The Trick Is To Keep Bleeding. Vig at times leans back from his kit as if he’s remembering being a teenager playing for fun in a garage rather than keeping perfect time at one of the world’s most famous rock venues.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

Manson is simply spellbinding, regardless of whether she’s standing absolutely still, looking and sounding like a torch singer on set opener Afterglow or lush, dramatic 007 theme song The World Is Not Enough; marching across the stage, her red cape dress billowing behind her, during BPM-overdrive songs like Special and I Think I’m Paranoid; or plays guitar while belting out, with all the talent of a diva, lyrics to Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams during a more-is-more extended version of You Look So Fine.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

But ultimately most credit is due to Version 2.0 itself. The songs, unlike those on the band’s debut, were written by four musicians truly united (and invigorated) by two years on the road. And they were then recorded on such an early version of ProTools that even legendary producers like Vig couldn’t quite figure out how to use it properly, adding human imperfections to the otherwise cutting-edge recordings.  

Garbage (Belle Piec)

Obviously that human touch is even more evident in a live setting and Garbage embrace it. The final minute of Can’t Seem To Make You Mine has Manson playfully hitting notes on Erikson’s keyboard as he looks on, smiling. The jagged Temptation Waits takes an unexpected but thrilling detour through Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

Thanks to Manson’s hauntingly beautiful vocal, Medication and its refrain of “And still you call me co-dependent/ Somehow you lay the blame on me” sounds even more tragic. A dynamic Sleep Together plays up the extremes in volume and emotional intensity.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

And it’s impossible to deny the human element when 5000 ecstatic people are rejoicing, singing back the choruses of the swaggering Push It, defiant When I Grow Up, and bouncy encore bonus Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) like they were the hits of summer 2018.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

Nostalgia may have been the catalyst for 20 Years Paranoid, but in Brixton Academy tonight there’s no sense of looking back. Instead, underlined by the inclusion of strident 2017 standalone single and anti-Trump rallying cry No Horses, Garbage are very much looking ahead to the next 20 years, confident not paranoid.

Garbage (Belle Piec)

Review of Garbage at Brixton Academy on 14th September 2018 by Nils van der Linden. Photography by Belle Piec.

 

Liang Lawrence (Ana Chen)

Liang Lawrence Unveils Reflective New Single ‘A Day Off In Margaritaville’ Ahead Of Autumn UK Tour

Rising alt-pop storyteller Liang Lawrence has shared her shimmering new single A Day Off In Margaritaville, a vibrant, emotionally layered track that marks the first offering from her upcoming EP It’s A Funny Thing, due later this year via The Other Songs.

Mae Stephens (Hannah Burton)

Mae Stephens Returns With Infectious New Single ‘Tiny Voice’

Breakout pop star Mae Stephens is back with a bang as she drops her irresistibly offbeat new single, Tiny Voice — a track as addictive as it is relatable. Following the runaway global success of her hit If We Ever Broke Up, which racked up over 500 million streams, landed her a Top 15 UK single, and earned Gold certifications in both the UK and US, Stephens continues to show why she’s one of the most exciting new voices in pop.

Maya Lane (Press)

Maya Lane Announces New Single ‘I Don’t Know You Yet’ And Debut London Headline Show Ahead Of New EP

Rising UK pop-country star Maya Lane continues her impressive 2025 trajectory with the release of a stunning new single, I Don’t Know You Yet, out now. The introspective, stripped-back track offers a poignant taste of her forthcoming EP, The Hurt And The Healing, due out on 4th September, and precedes her debut headline show at London’s The Grace on 3rd September.

Perera Elsewhere (Hugo Holger Schneider x Gene Glover)

Perera Elsewhere Returns With Electrifying Double Single Ft. Andy S & Announces New Album

Berlin-based, UK-raised experimental artist Perera Elsewhere (aka Sasha Perera) is back with a high-voltage double single, F*ck Le System / Time Will Tell, out now on Friends Of Friends – both featuring viral Ivorian rapper Andy S. The release serves as a bold statement on feminine strength, social rebellion, and sonic experimentation.

Don McLean @ The Long Road Festival (Press)

The Long Road Festival 2025 Assembles Its Biggest Line-Up Yet For August Bank Holiday Weekend

Now entering its sixth and most ambitious year to date, The Long Road Festival 2025 is set to deliver its boldest celebration of country, Americana, and roots music yet, taking over the scenic Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from 22nd–24th August. With more than 80 artists across six stages, the weekend promises an immersive blend of genre-spanning music, authentic Americana culture, and inclusive community spirit — and has already become the festival’s fastest-selling edition to date.

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Bethan Miller-Carey)

A Night In Wonderland: Stevie Wonder And Guests Delight At BST Hyde Park 2025

“Awwwwight!” drawls Stevie Wonder, arms flung wide, grinning like a teenager trying on cockney charm for the first...
Neil Young @ BST Hyde Park (Trudi Knight)

Dance, Shadow And Harvest Under The Full Moon: Van Morrison, Yusuf Islam And Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts At BST Hyde Park 2025

Gone are the sparkled cowgirls and pop princesses of previous BST gigs. It’s the turn of the Baby Boomer generation to make up the core crowd of Hyde Park – a sea of grey hair, straw hats, and sensible shoes. They reapply sun cream religiously, have brought picnic blankets, and can be forgiven for taking their time getting up and down from the ground between acts. This is the generation that invented outdoor rock and folk festivals – and they’re here to show the rest of us how it’s done.

Poptones (Rune Gro-Nielsen)

Poptones Play Their Wild Card With New Single ‘Say Something Now’ Ahead of Forthcoming Album ‘Pure’

Danish experimental rock trio Poptones have unveiled their new single Say Something Now, offering a taste of the unpredictability and emotional depth that defines their upcoming sophomore album Pure, out 26th September via Happy Metal Records. Where lead single Skin Of Sea teased a shift toward expansive and instinctive composition, Say Something Now dives headlong into that experimental impulse—guided, intriguingly, by the rules of UNO. Yes, the beloved card game.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing